A Baby Boomer looks at health, finance, retirement, grown-up children and ... how time flies.

Friday, January 10, 2014

Wasting Away in Floridaville

When you come to Florida, and the weather is bad, there isn't much to do. Yesterday we watched some of the Chris Christie press conference about bridge-gate, or whatever they're calling it. Apparently one of his aides closed some traffic lanes leading up to the George Washington Bridge, as part of a "traffic study," but really in retaliation against the mayor of Fort Lee because he hadn't supported Christie in his bid for re-election.

Selling firewood in Florida

The whole thing didn't make a lot of sense to us, since Christie is a Republican and the mayor of Fort Lee is a Democrat, so why would the governor expect that the mayor would support him? Besides, how would causing problems on the highway adversely affect the mayor of Fort Lee? Drivers wouldn't get mad at the mayor -- most people probably aren't even aware that they're in Fort Lee as they approach the George Washington Bridge -- they'd more likely get mad at the New Jersey state transportation authority, and blame the governor.

Well, I don't know how these things work. I confess that I like Governor Chris Christie. He has a reputation as someone who's tough and straightforward, who can actually run the government without selling out to this special interest or that group of political hacks. As I watched the press conference I was thinking: He's doing a good job; he's standing up to tough questioning and seems to be convincing; and he's hardly breaking a sweat. But ... I'm not quite buying it.

Gray skies over paradise

Anyway, here in Florida there's usually more talk about the weather than there is about national politics. But when it's cold and cloudy, people don't wax so eloquently about the sun and the balmy breezes. It's 30 degrees warmer here than it is at home up in NewYork. But that's cold comfort when you're shivering in your light summer jacket.

So we didn't get to play golf; didn't go to the beach. We did don a sweater and go over to the driving range to hit a few golf balls. We had a putting contest (I won!). But we're not getting the full flavor of the tropics in winter.

Instead, we talked a lot about where we would go to dinner; and what else we could do; and sat around and read our books. We got so desperate we went to an art museum yesterday afternoon.

We drove over to a bar down by the beach for dinner; then last night we went to a more upscale place overlooking a gray and roiling Atlantic Ocean.

But this morning the thermometer reads 68 degrees, and the clouds are breaking up. Yes, the real Florida will be upon us soon enough.

I have visited Florida enough to know that it can turn nasty for weeks at a time. Still it is warmer than my neck of the woods. It is a culture thing with Christie. Since he tells people to shut-up in press conferences and yells at a teacher who asked him a question, he does not have the manners to be a good leader. With that kind of yelling, I am not surprised that his staff thought they could get away with anything.

I am really glad you wrote this. You asked the pertinent questions. Christie has to think of the big leagues now or he hasn't a prayer in 2016. If a staffer really does these things she should be fired. Looks like the silly season started early, which tells you how fed up many folks are with the current political mess.

Given you did nothing much yesterday you managed to write a nice post…Dianne

Let's see, if I like my health insurance plan and my doctor, I can keep them. Plus I'll save around $2500 a year when I make the switch to the ACA. What difference does it make why those 4 Americans got killed in Benghazi?So what if the Taliban is making a resurgence in Iraq? So what if all those soldiers lost their limbs or lives for nothing? At least America is balancing its budget, right?So what if 13.1 million Americans have given up looking for a job. Let's just extend unemployment benefits and make these people beggars for the rest of their lives.So what if the NSA reads every single one of your emails, social media posts, spy on you 24/7/365 or listen in to your phone calls? What? The IRS was vindictive towards conservative groups and denied them non-profit tax exempt status for like years? And if you speak out against you-know-who, you'll get audited? Or sued? Like for days/months/years on end.

Let's see....let me weigh all of the above on one hand and the millions of Americans it affected and then weigh a traffic tie up on the GW Bridge, that only affected drivers in the tri-state area (like New Jersey) and figure out what's really important in life. Duh.

Have fun in Florida. It's a right-to-work state, which means there are no unions. Firearms are legal. Oh, and Jesus lives here too. Hope you're not offended when you see a cross or nativity scene. I'll let him know you'd like some sun. Coming right up.

Recently found your blog site and I am enjoying it from first an educational standpoint, and then of course, the entertainment factor you lend to it is surprisingly astute. Grew up in southeastern CT, and have lived in WA state for 35 years. In the East folks "seasonally commute" between points north & FL, and here it is a given the seasonal migrations are between points north & southern CA, AZ & NM. All seeking the sun, moderate temps and dry, not necessarily in that order. As a seasoned Pacific Northwest transplant I can only advise clothing layers are key and apparently so recently in FL.

Well Anon., I was feeling pretty good until I read your reply. Now I think I'm going to stick my head back in the Florida sand! But actually, I think most of these stories are kind of like a Rorschach test ... one person's bully is another person's strong, confident leader. As for me, I think to be a politician today you have to at least be a narcissist, and maybe even a psychopath. I guess it's how they use those twisted personalities that counts.

Anyway, Hauola, welcome to Sightings Over Sixty. And Olga, I'm so sorry about the lack of sympathy from your friends back north. I have the same problem!

Time to change your settings on who can post comments! I think those who want to make nasty comments need to stand up and be recognized. Hiding behind "anonymous" is chickenshit! Ugh...that's how I really feel.

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About Me

I’m a Baby Boomer, part of the pig-in-a-python demographic group that has brought so many changes to America – and will continue to do so until we cash our last Social Security check. I had a typical baby boomer career. I attended college, went to business school, worked for several companies, then in my mid-50s was laid off. Meanwhile, I got divorced, and my two kids left for college. Now I live with my significant other, B, who has two children of her own. We live in the New York area, a convenient stopover for our four peripatetic 20-somethings. And I produce this blog Sightings Over Sixty which covers health, finance, retirement – concerns of people who realize that somehow they have grown up.